World biggest engine
Discussion
Someone emailed this to me, apologies if it is a repost.
Maximum power: 108,920 hp at 102 rpm
Maximum torque: 5,608,312 lb/ft at 102rpm
The Wartsila-Sulzer RTA96-C turbocharged two-stroke diesel engine is the most powerful and most efficient prime-mover in the world today. The Aioi Works of Japan 's Diesel United, Ltd built the first engines and is where some of these pictures were taken. It is available in 6 through 14 cylinder versions, all are inline engines. These engines were designed primarily for very large container ships. Ship owners like a single engine/single propeller design and the new generation of larger container ships needed a bigger engine to propel them. The cylinder bore is just under 38" and the stroke is just over 98". Each cylinder displaces 111,143 cubic inches (1820 liters) and produces 7780 horsepower. Total displacement comes out to 1,556,002 cubic inches (25,480 liters) for the fourteen cylinder version.
Some facts on the 14 cylinder version:
Total engine weight:
2300 tons (The crankshaft alone weighs 300 tons.)
Length:
89 feet
Height:
44 feet
Maximum power:
108,920 hp at 102 rpm
Maximum torque:
5,608,312 lb/ft at 102rpm
Fuel consumption at maximum power is 0.278 lbs per hp per hour (Brake Specific Fuel Consumption). Fuel consumption at maximum economy is 0.260 lbs/hp/hour. At maximum economy the engine exceeds 50% thermal efficiency. That is, more than 50% of the energy in the fuel in converted to motion.
For comparison, most automotive and small aircraft engines have BSFC figures in the 0.40-0.60 lbs/hp/hr range and 25-30% thermal efficiency range.
Even at its most efficient power setting, the big 14 consumes 1,660 gallons of heavy fuel oil per hour.
A cross section of the RTA96C:
The internals of this engine are a bit different than most automotive engines.
The top of the connecting rod is not attached directly to the piston. The top of the connecting rod attaches to a "crosshead" which rides in guide channels. A long piston rod then connects the crosshead to the piston.
I assume this is done so the the sideways forces produced by the connecting rod are absorbed by the crosshead and not by the piston. Those sideways forces are what makes the cylinders in an auto engine get oval-shaped over time.
Installing the "thin-shell" bearings. Crank & rod journals are 38" in diameter and 16" wide:
The crank sitting in the block (also known as a "gondola-style" bedplate). This is a 10 cylinder version. Note the steps by each crank throw that lead down into the crankcase:
A piston & piston rod assembly. The piston is at the top. The large square plate at the bottom is where the whole assembly attaches to the crosshead:
Some pistons:
And some piston rods:
The "spikes" on the piston rods are hollow tubes that go into the holes you can see on the bottom of the pistons (left picture) and inject oil into the inside of the piston which keeps the top of the piston from overheating. Some high-performance auto engines have a similar feature where an oil squirter nozzle squirts oil onto the bottom of the piston.
The cylinder deck (10 cylinder version). Cylinder liners are die-cast ductile cast iron. Look at the size of those head studs!:
The first completed 12 cylinder engine:
Maximum power: 108,920 hp at 102 rpm
Maximum torque: 5,608,312 lb/ft at 102rpm
The Wartsila-Sulzer RTA96-C turbocharged two-stroke diesel engine is the most powerful and most efficient prime-mover in the world today. The Aioi Works of Japan 's Diesel United, Ltd built the first engines and is where some of these pictures were taken. It is available in 6 through 14 cylinder versions, all are inline engines. These engines were designed primarily for very large container ships. Ship owners like a single engine/single propeller design and the new generation of larger container ships needed a bigger engine to propel them. The cylinder bore is just under 38" and the stroke is just over 98". Each cylinder displaces 111,143 cubic inches (1820 liters) and produces 7780 horsepower. Total displacement comes out to 1,556,002 cubic inches (25,480 liters) for the fourteen cylinder version.
Some facts on the 14 cylinder version:
Total engine weight:
2300 tons (The crankshaft alone weighs 300 tons.)
Length:
89 feet
Height:
44 feet
Maximum power:
108,920 hp at 102 rpm
Maximum torque:
5,608,312 lb/ft at 102rpm
Fuel consumption at maximum power is 0.278 lbs per hp per hour (Brake Specific Fuel Consumption). Fuel consumption at maximum economy is 0.260 lbs/hp/hour. At maximum economy the engine exceeds 50% thermal efficiency. That is, more than 50% of the energy in the fuel in converted to motion.
For comparison, most automotive and small aircraft engines have BSFC figures in the 0.40-0.60 lbs/hp/hr range and 25-30% thermal efficiency range.
Even at its most efficient power setting, the big 14 consumes 1,660 gallons of heavy fuel oil per hour.
A cross section of the RTA96C:
The internals of this engine are a bit different than most automotive engines.
The top of the connecting rod is not attached directly to the piston. The top of the connecting rod attaches to a "crosshead" which rides in guide channels. A long piston rod then connects the crosshead to the piston.
I assume this is done so the the sideways forces produced by the connecting rod are absorbed by the crosshead and not by the piston. Those sideways forces are what makes the cylinders in an auto engine get oval-shaped over time.
Installing the "thin-shell" bearings. Crank & rod journals are 38" in diameter and 16" wide:
The crank sitting in the block (also known as a "gondola-style" bedplate). This is a 10 cylinder version. Note the steps by each crank throw that lead down into the crankcase:
A piston & piston rod assembly. The piston is at the top. The large square plate at the bottom is where the whole assembly attaches to the crosshead:
Some pistons:
And some piston rods:
The "spikes" on the piston rods are hollow tubes that go into the holes you can see on the bottom of the pistons (left picture) and inject oil into the inside of the piston which keeps the top of the piston from overheating. Some high-performance auto engines have a similar feature where an oil squirter nozzle squirts oil onto the bottom of the piston.
The cylinder deck (10 cylinder version). Cylinder liners are die-cast ductile cast iron. Look at the size of those head studs!:
The first completed 12 cylinder engine:
Edited by markh1 on Tuesday 5th May 14:00
pacey_sot said:
Cupramax said:
markh1 said:
The cylinder bore is just under 38" and the stroke is just over 98".
I think they're a bit bigger than that... my waist is nearly 38", from those pictures you could fit about 4 or 5 people in each bore... 
markh1 said:
Someone emailed this to me, apologies if it is a repost.
Maximum power: 108,920 hp at 102 rpm
Maximum torque: 5,608,312 lb/ft at 102rpm
That Turbocharger is as abig sd the Truck's cab! I've only ever seen them that big on Toyota Supras...Maximum power: 108,920 hp at 102 rpm
Maximum torque: 5,608,312 lb/ft at 102rpm
Edited by markh1 on Tuesday 5th May 14:00
I love how it just looks like a regular engine, but just scaled up!
I wonder why not just have smaller pistons, and more of them? Or several large engines, instead of one mahoosive engine.
Id have thought thered be a size at which conventional internal combustion engine design is no longer is no longer efficient anymore- but im not to hot (pardon the pun) on the laws of thermodynamics
I wonder why not just have smaller pistons, and more of them? Or several large engines, instead of one mahoosive engine.
Id have thought thered be a size at which conventional internal combustion engine design is no longer is no longer efficient anymore- but im not to hot (pardon the pun) on the laws of thermodynamics
These engines are only used in huge oil tankers and container ships, like this one - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emma_Maersk
Edited by XitUp on Tuesday 5th May 15:45
The air compressors I work on have the same piston rod and crosshead design, but it is so they can use both sides of the piston, rather than just the top. There is a seal around the piston rod, so you cam maintain pressure in that half of the cylinder.
My compressors put out 1600cfm, at 2000psi, and are driven by an 800hp electric motor, so I claim biggest air compressors on Pistonheads.
My compressors put out 1600cfm, at 2000psi, and are driven by an 800hp electric motor, so I claim biggest air compressors on Pistonheads.
tati25 said:
I actually never thought ships had such larger engines... Does anyone have a pic of a ship that has an engine similar to this?
The engine is very beatiful, i would like to see it live... maybe when they "retire" they show up on some expo...
The engine is very beatiful, i would like to see it live... maybe when they "retire" they show up on some expo...
The Emma Maersk, worlds biggest container ship, has a 14 cylinder version of this engine.
Have sailed on a couple of ships with 12 cylinder versions, and they are BIG engines!
mackie1 said:
The Emma Maersk uses a 14 cylinder one:
Edit: Damn, beaten to it. It's quite big and can carry 11,000 containers.
Ha Ha, I win Edit: Damn, beaten to it. It's quite big and can carry 11,000 containers.
Edited by mackie1 on Tuesday 5th May 15:57
Think your pic is better though
11,000 containers is just the official number, rumour has it that it's really more than 14,000 IIRC
Maersk have a habit of 'understating' the capacity of their ships for some reason
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